This letter is a part of Accelerate Action, Tech in Asia’s 2025 International Women’s Day campaign, which ties in with our larger initiative to support women in tech.
Dear Younger Me,
On this International Women’s Day, I want to reach back through time and whisper to you the words I wish you had always known – words that will anchor you, guide you, and remind you of who you are destined to be.
Know however, that all the guidance and wisdom you will ever need is already within you, but it is through your life experiences – the places you will go, the people you will meet, the heartbreaks you will have – that you will see it manifest.
The future is full of possibility / Photo credit: Grace Sai
What I want to share with you is how to access that place, that voice, for that relationship with yourself will be your most loyal guide through this great adventure called life.
First, always remember to follow your own path, your own calling – not the one that feels safest or the one others expect of you. Follow the one that sets your soul on fire. When you face a decision, there will be many voices in your head telling you what you should or should not do. But only your voice matters. The question is how will you know which one it is?
One way to tell is when your heart beats faster in all the right ways. You will be wrapped in a profound feeling and filled with clarity and excitement when you know that you are meant to pursue that “something” in the world. It could be to paint that piece of art, to bring that seemingly “crazy” idea to reality, to bring the cutest little girl to life, to found a startup (or three). Those epiphanic moments will be your most loyal guide and friends – and I have experienced one roughly every three years.
Second, invest in your intuition. Nurture it, respect it, listen to it. Every experience that life presents you, every challenge and hurdle hurled at you, every significant person who has taught you, every breakup is meant to sharpen that intuition. It’s a way more powerful tool than your human instinct, which is a flawed, knee-jerk reaction, focused on reacting, protecting, and surviving. But intuition – your deep, unwavering knowing – will guide you toward growth, even when it’s uncomfortable. Trust it. It will show you when to stay, when to walk away, and when to take the leap you never thought you could.
Trust in the epiphanies that will propel you forward / Photo credit: Grace Sai
Some ancient tribes believe that our life’s purpose is not to become someone, but to remember who we were supposed to be. We turned 40 a year ago, and we lived for a week with such a tribe in Costa Rica. We learned from them how to access that voice, that place, and I can affirm that it is there!
Now, you should also know the cost of having the courage to follow your path – the other side of setting your soul on fire. Your path might call for immense courage and will require you to take action in the face of fear. As they say, “nothing truly worth doing comes easy.”
Someone wise told us that in running a successful company, be prepared for at least five near-death experiences and that if you have not had all five, you will. That isn’t exactly comforting, but it is reassuring to know that it is a rite of passage in building enduring companies, that the world’s best companies have all gone through those crucible moments to make them who they are.
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